In The Middle Of The Month The Snow Began To Waste Daily And By Degrees
It Disappeared From The Hills And The Surface Of The Lake.
On the 17th
and 19th the Aurora Borealis appeared very brilliant in patches of light
bearing North-West.
An old Cree Indian having found a beaver-lodge near
to the fort, Mr. Keith, Back, and I accompanied him to see the method of
breaking into it and their mode of taking those interesting animals. The
lodge was constructed on the side of a rock in a small lake having the
entrance into it beneath the ice. The frames were formed of layers of
sticks, the interstices being filled with mud, and the outside was
plastered with earth and stones which the frost had so completely
consolidated that to break through required great labour with the aid of
the ice chisel and the other iron instruments which the beaver hunters
use. The chase however was unsuccessful as the beaver had previously
vacated the lodge.
On the 21st we observed the first geese that flew near the fort and some
were brought to the house on the 30th but they were very lean. On the
25th flies were seen sporting in the sun and on the 26th the Athabasca
River, having broken up, overflowed the lake along its channel; but
except where this water spread there was no appearance of decay in the
ice.
May.
During the first part of this month the wind blew from the North-West and
the sky was cloudy.
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